Features
Phone numbers & telephony
OnCore supplies the phone number too — search, purchase, and manage numbers through the API and point each one at an assistant.
You don't need to bring a phone system. Search the number inventory, buy a number through the API, point an assistant at it — and it answers from the next call.
What it is#
A phone number is your assistant's front door. You search live inventory for available numbers — by country, city, or area code — and purchase one directly through the API; it belongs to your account until you release it. Connect an assistant to the number and every inbound call is answered by that assistant, starting with your greeting.
What you can do with it#
- Get a local presence — search for numbers in the country, city, or area code your customers know, so the number on your website looks like it belongs to your business.
- Put an assistant on the line — connect an assistant to the number and inbound calls are answered from that moment on.
- Run separate lines — give each number a friendly label ("Main line", "Reservations") and its own assistant, so bookings and general enquiries are handled differently.
- Keep a safety line — set a failover number on the number or on its assistant, and calls are forwarded there when the assistant fails or needs to escalate.
- Tidy up as you go — release a number you no longer need; billing for it stops immediately.
How to set it up#
Everything is done through OnCore's REST API. Search the available inventory, purchase the number you want (only numbers returned by the search can be purchased), and optionally set its label and failover destination — the walkthrough is in the Phone numbers guide, with request and response shapes in the Phone Numbers API reference. Connecting an assistant happens on the assistant side: link the number when you create or update the assistant, as shown in the Assistants guide.
Limits & FAQ#
- Numbers can be searched in multiple countries, including the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and Switzerland.
- Some countries are served from a reserved pool of pre-purchased numbers; if the number you want isn't in the pool, or is already taken, the purchase is declined with a clear error rather than partially completed.
- Releasing a number is permanent — it returns to the provider inventory and can be purchased by someone else, so release only numbers you're sure you're done with.
Can I move a number to a different assistant? Yes. The link lives on the assistant, so re-point it at any time by updating which assistant the number is connected to — no repurchase needed.
What happens if the assistant can't take a call? If a failover number is set, the call is forwarded there — a staffed line of your choice — instead of going unanswered.
Can the same number handle text messages? Yes — SMS can be switched on for the assistant connected to the number, so callers can text the same number they call. Not every number supports SMS; the API tells you at enable time if yours doesn't. See the SMS channel.